


Heart of Stone

by Twisted_Mirror



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Academia, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternative Universe - Kingdom, Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst and Porn, Angst and Romance, Angst and Tragedy, Angst with a Happy Ending, Ben Solo Needs A Hug, Character Death, Curse Breaking, Curses, Death, Declarations Of Love, Emotional Porn, Emotional Sex, F/M, Fairy Tale Curses, Fairy Tale Elements, Fairy Tale Endings, Fairy Tale Retellings, Falling In Love, First Kiss, First Meetings, First Time, Good Parent Han Solo, Happy Ending, Leia Organa Needs a Hug, Loneliness, Loss of Virginity, Love, Love at First Sight, Manipulative Sheev Palpatine, Minor Character Death, Museums, Oral Sex, Parents Han and Leia, Penis In Vagina Sex, Porn, Redeemed Ben Solo, Rey Needs A Hug, Sad, Sculpture, Sex, Temporary Character Death, True Love, True Love's Kiss, Vaginal, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex, Virgin Ben Solo, Virgin Kylo Ren, Virgin Rey (Star Wars), Virginity, arrow wound
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-09
Updated: 2020-06-27
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:34:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24083665
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Twisted_Mirror/pseuds/Twisted_Mirror
Summary: Based on a prompt by Reylo Prompts:-AU- Kylo/Ben is a statue in a museum. He was cursed. Rey is working at the museum and his statue is her favourite. She secretly talks to him and has taken to eating her microwave dinners at his feet, after hours.
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey & Ben Solo, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 127
Kudos: 358
Collections: Reylo, Reylo Prompt Fills (@reylo_prompts), reylo trash





	1. Myths and Legends

“A long time ago in a kingdom far, far away, now long forgotten and lost to the passages of time, there ruled a wicked tyrant, a dark mage, Vader. Once a good and noble knight, he sold his soul to the darkness for power and a misguided sense of love. The wicked sorcerer Sidious tricked and used him, turned him into a creature of his own design, a wraith of his former self, a terrible shadow. The kingdom fell into darkness and despair and would have remained that way were it not for a new hope, born in secret. The dark mage, unbeknownst to him, had twins, children that were kept hidden from him by his wife, the beautiful Queen who never lost faith that he would return to his true self. The Queen died in childbirth and the mage became further lost within the darkness, the sorcerer twisting his pain. His children grew up and fought for the kingdom, to restore it to light and love, freeing its people from bondage.

In the last hours of his life, Vader felt the love in his heart return, love for his children, love of his wife and the memory of the man he had been. He rejected the dark and defeated Sidious, saving his children and in turn the kingdom with his dying breath. His daughter fierce and noble, became Queen and peace and harmony began to fall across the land. It was a time of celebration and love, full of golden possibilities and new beginnings. The Queen who had married for love, in time became with child and the kingdom rejoiced. This child would be a symbol of all they had fought for, the dream that had kept them going in the darkest of times. A reminder that love was the greatest power of all. 

Now normally, this would be the part of the story that I tell you that they all loved happily ever after. Alas, as is often the case in life, this was not to be. For you see, Sidious had never gone, he had not been truly defeated. Though grievously wounded, he was very much alive, biding his time as he built up his strength. He festered in the shadows, pure hate and anger keeping him fed as he waited for the time that he would exact revenge. 

The Queen gave birth to a Prince, the kingdom and lands all around celebrated at this joyous news. He was raised with love and privilege, taught by the finest scholars and trained by his Uncle, the warrior mage in the art of hand to hand combat. He grew tall and handsome, raven of hair and fair of skin, strong and noble. Yet, despite all of this, unseen, an evil shadow followed him, haunting his every step. As a child he would suffer terrible dreams and nightmares, but his parents would put it down to childish imagination. As he grew his mood swings and brooding were put down to a petulant nature, natural with the years of youth. Dark voices spoke to him, taunting him, but for years he ignored them. 

One day however, the Prince betrayed his family and took on the name Kylo Ren and began to do the bidding of the evil sorcerer. Nobody knew for sure why. Some guessed that it was the promise of power, being trained in the dark arts, some imagined that love was involved. Still, for all of the rumours, Kylo Ren grew infamous, a dark Knight, terrible and fearsome, his grandfather incarnate. Years passed and the Prince disappeared, Kylo Ren was gone. Nobody knew what happened to him, some guessed that Sidious had grown tired of him and killed him, some guessed that he had ran away in shame. His parents however, never lost hope that he would someday return to them. The war with Sidious continued for years until the Kingdom diminished into obscurity, lost and buried. All said that it was because of the fallen Prince, that he was the key, but he never returned.”

“That didn’t happen, that’s a fairy tale,” a chestnut haired, freckled boy piped up.

“If it was a fairy tale it should have had a happy ending, and that didn’t have a happy ending,” bemoaned a blonde girl at the front of the group. “I thought it was going to have a happy ending!”

Rey looked down at her thoughtfully, envious of the optimism of childhood, something she had never experienced. 

“Unfortunately, real life doesn’t always have a happy ending,” she replied, pushing her glasses back up her nose. 

“Well I thought the Legend of Alderaan was made up,” the girl crossed her arms defiantly. 

Rey sighed internally, school children could be the most challenging and yet rewarding of groups to take on the tour. 

“Well if you follow me,” Rey started walking again, her heels echoing across the floor. “We are about to enter the Alderaanian Exhibit, where I’m going to talk you through all of the evidence that we’ve found here at the Theed Institute.”

She heard slight oohs and aaghs as they entered the gigantic room housing the display. It was the museums largest room and was used to host their main tourist attractions. 

“Now this collection is quite new to us, in fact we are still working on some of the pieces behind the scenes,” Rey announced standing before them again, her excitement contagious. “All of these pieces in here were found in the Chandrila Valley, north of the city. A quake shifted the land and all these treasures were discovered.”

She looked proudly around at the vast collection of artifacts, lovingly cared for and displayed by her colleagues and her. Working towards her PHD in Ancient Kingdoms, she had chosen to write her thesis on Alderaan. The kingdom of legends had always fascinated her, so when this opportunity arose, it had felt right. 

She walked the children over to the crown jewel of the collection, central to the room. It was a single, life size sculpture, raised upon its own dais of a young man. Smooth muscles and contoured lines of a hard, strong body had been crafted from the cold pale stone. One hand clutched his wavy long hair, the other gripped a crown, no longer upon his head. Elegant cloth carved from the same stone fell draped around the man’s waist like a fallen shroud. It was cold, ethereal, a man in anguish cast in stone, his pain portrayed by the single tear that fell upon his cheek. 

“This,” Rey announced. “Is believed to be the Fallen Prince.”

All of the children’s eyes fixed on to the figure in awe.

“He was very handsome,” a girl stated with a slight sigh. 

Rey looked up at the pale face, a face she knew as well as her own, every curve, every shadow.

“Yes, yes he was,” she replied quietly.

“He looks sad.”

“Yes.”

“How do you know it’s the Prince?”

“Well, for there to have been a sculpture made of him, he would have to be someone of great importance,” Rey explained. “Also, see the crown he is holding in his hands, this was most likely to signify his fallen status. The kingdom was without its heir, thus would fall.”

She then got closer to the statue and pointed to his arm.

“See here, the mark on his arm is a falcon, the emblem of his father’s house.”

“Wow, that’s so cool,” a couple of kids responded, although Rey suspected it was more to do with the fact that a statue had a tattoo.  
Rey smiled.

“Now any questions?”

−−

The museum was quiet as the last of the visitors had gone and the doors were locked. Most of the front of house staff had left for the day, leaving just security and academic staff behind. Rey walked across the exhibit, lights now dimmed, carrying her microwave lasagne for one. Her footsteps echoed even louder now that the place had emptied, she could have sworn that some of the paintings glared at her for the intrusion. 

Every night was the same. The doors locked, the last trickle of guests would leave, staff would call goodbye and grab their things and she would head to the staff lounge. Six minutes standing, staring at her meal go round and round in the microwave. The familiar ping before she would carefully take it out and head through the staff doors on to the Alderaanian exhibit. There she would sit at the feet of the Prince’s statue and eat her meal. She couldn’t say why she had done it that first time, there had been some inexplicable pull, drawing her near. Yet, sitting there in a room of a forgotten world, she somehow felt more at home than she did anywhere else. Next to the cold statue she felt a comforting warmth, like being with an old friend and basking in the bond you share, or sharing a smile with a loved one. Except, she had never had any of those things so she imagined that is what it must be like. If the other staff thought her odd, they never said anything…to her face anyway. 

The second time she sat there, she had begun to talk to the Prince. She had not even realised that she had been doing it at first, it seemed so natural. She wasn’t entirely sure why she had started, maybe it was because he looked so forlorn and, in her mind, pretended to cheer him up, maybe it was because she was so lonely and had no one else to talk to, no one else to share her thoughts and dreams with. She would tell him of her day, her work, her thesis and the latest gossip among the staff. Today was different though, she felt worn and tired. She leant slightly against the sculptures legs as she ate, the energy of the day gone. Pushing the heated mess around with her fork, her appetite began to dwindle. 

“Sorry I’m not very talkative tonight your highness.”

She imagined him asking her what was wrong in a somewhat austere manner, hiding the concern he felt. 

“Oh nothing.”

He wouldn’t give up that easily and would press her to tell him, they were friends of sorts, after all. 

“Ok okay, I guess I can tell you,” she said quietly. “It’s just that, I’m so lonely.”

She sighed, giving up on the ‘meal’.

“I mean, it’s Friday night, I should be out drinking with friends, meeting boys, yet here I am, talking to a statue. Truth is, I don’t fit in anywhere or with anyone, I’m so alone.”

A single tear fell, running down her cheek and landing on the foot of the statue. 

“I wish you were real my friend,” she whispered, wiping her eyes hastily on her sleeve. 

She jumped up and grabbing her things, shuffled back to the staff room. 

If Rey had waited for but a moment, she would have noticed something decidedly odd and somewhat startling. The statues tear, now real and glistening in the light, rolled slowly down his cheek, before dropping with a splash on to his foot and mingling with her own. 

“You’re not alone.”


	2. Dreams and Shadows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Strange things begin to happen at the museum and Rey is haunted by terrifying nightmares.

The forest was ancient as it was vast, covering miles with its tall trees and lush undergrowth. The air was heavy and scented, still damp from the previous day’s rainfall. Though the Prince rode his black horse upon the winding path, it became more and more overgrown, as though the forest was beginning to take it back. It was quiet out here, so quiet. Just the sound of the ancient boughs creaking above him in the breeze. He swung his newly sharpened sword through a couple of overhanging branches, the sound of metal echoing. Several creatures scurried from the undergrowth, disturbed by the noise. 

Though it were summer, it was cool beneath the canopy of foliage, cool and sweet. The Prince had never travelled this far north, in fact he wasn’t aware of anyone travelling this far into the Forest of Endor. Keep going north and you would eventually reach the Black Diamond Mountains, tall and lofty, snow capping their imperious peaks. The land felt both old and new to him, full of a mystery he couldn’t define. 

He’d packed his supplies and saddled his horse, Alastor three moons ago after the last nightmare. His gloved hand clenched tightly around the reigns at the dark memory. He had been trapped, confined, unable to move as an unseen malice wrought death and destruction upon his home, his family. He had been powerless to stop it, he with all his strength and ability could do nothing but watch in frozen horror. He shook the memory away, though his body still felt the chill of its touch. His parents hadn’t understood why he’d had to leave, giving him lectures on duty and commitment. His Uncle however, had been strangely quiet on the matter, perhaps sensing his need for space. Out here, he felt lighter, the voices more distant. The voices that had grown as his power ha grown, as though trying to lure him to them. He was tired, so tired of it all. 

Alastor shifted beneath him with a harrumph, snorting and shaking his head, bringing the Prince out of his reverie.

“What is it boy?” he leant down, stroking the beast’s neck. 

Then he heard it, a woman’s voice on the breeze, soft and haunting. He sat up, trying to pin point the sound, as the words washed over him. 

−−  
“Rey, Rey?”

Rey jumped as the security guard approached her from behind. 

“Oh, hey Finn,” she replied, before looking back at the statue, obviously distracted. 

“What planet were you on?” Finn laughed, twirling his ID badge round in his hand.

“Does that look different to you?” she asked, not responding to him, still looking at the marble sculpture.

“Does what look different?”

“The Prince, the sculpture.”

Finn followed her gaze to the statue and back to her puzzled face.

“Looks the same to me, boring and dusty,” he laughed.

She didn’t laugh back, her forehead crinkling into a frown instead. She shook her head muttering.

“His head looks like it’s a different angle.”

“Rey, it’s a statue, it hasn’t moved,” he touched her forehead with the back of her head. “Are you sure you’re feeling okay?”

His touch snapped her out of it.

“What? Yes, I’m sorry I’m fine, just didn’t sleep well at all last night.”

Finn studied her, trying to read into her expression a little concerned. 

“Just what you need before a day full of tours huh?” he laughed, patting her on the back.

“Yeh,” she gave a little half laugh, still looking at the statue. 

Maybe she was going mad.   
−−  
Saturdays were the museums busiest day, with groups of tourists from all over flocking to the exhibits. She had several tours booked in back to back, filling her day. It was tiring but the day fled by until she could focus on her work. Everything else about the day was a normal Saturday, the same as every other Saturday before it, until it happened. Rey led the group of rather rambunctious tourists into the Alderaanian exhibit, more than once struggling to be heard over their persistent chatter. While she chafed inside at their rudeness, she remained the consummate professional. As usual, when she reached the Lost Prince, she regaled them of the ancient legend. It was half way through the tale when a rather loud and brassy blonde suddenly shrieked out, making everyone jump.

“It looked at me, he looked at me!!”

Everyone looked at her puzzled, somewhat alarmed as the whole room fell silent. The woman blushed furiously at the commotion she had caused. 

“The statue,” she cried, pointing up at it with a shaky finger. “It looked at me, it blinked.”

Everyone looked up, but the statue’s face was ever, still and impassive. 

“Everything okay?” Finn asked, running over.

“I’m not making it up, it looked at me!” the woman was now sobbing, her bewildered husband trying to placate her. 

Rey stared at the Prince’s face, but all she saw where the pain and emotion etched for eternity into the stone. 

−−  
Later that evening, after all of the public had left, Rey sat down for her customary microwave meal at the Prince’s feet. 

“Sorry about last night your highness, I wasn’t quite myself,” she spoke quietly, peeling back the film on her pasta, steam rising. 

She ate a few mouthfuls of the slightly sloppy pasta and over salted sauce before looking at the Prince’s face. The stone visage looked down at her.

“You sure scared that woman earlier,” she laughed lightly. “Did you move? Come on tell me?”

She paused, pretending to wait for an answer.

“No, okay then, spoil sport,” she dug back into her meal.

The pasta didn’t last long as she was famished after a long day on her feet. She talked as she ate her chocolate pudding cup, half with a spoon, half with her fingers. Talking about her thesis, her plans for the future and the fact that she didn’t have any. 

“It’s easy for you,” she murmured. “You’re a statue, your future is chosen for you already. You’re serving your purpose, but what’s mine?”

She got up, brushing down her short green skirt before picking up her belongings. She looked up at the stony vigil with a little sigh.

“One thing I do know, is I wish that you were real, then you could bloody answer me,” she laughed, tucking her dark, shoulder length hair behind her ears. “I wish you were real.”

Riff, she was being ridiculous. 

‘I really need to get out more.’

“Rey, who the hell are you talking to?” Finn’s footsteps echoed across the floor to her. 

Rey could feel herself blushing from being caught out. Great, now everyone would definitely think that she was a definite loon.

“Oh nobody, just talking to myself,” she tried to appear non-chalant.

Finn didn’t appear a hundred percent convinced. 

“I’ll walk with you to the office, I need to sign out the key for tomorrow,” she quickly changed the subject to draw Finn’s attention away from her looming insanity.

“Working on a day off,” he tutted as they fell in line with each other’s steps. 

“I’ve got a paper due next week; I just want to go over a few things.”

“No rest for the wicked aye?” he laughed, holding the door open for her. 

“Something like that.”

−−  
It was the same dream, the same dream she had been having for years, growing ever more frequent. The forest surrounded her, trees reaching high into the sky, their tangled boughs overlapping ahead, an intricate lattice of green and brown. She could see the sunlight above them, filtering through, yet it was dark, unnaturally so on the forest floor. Instead of the fragrant smell of leaves, shrubs and flowers, all that she could smell was dead and rot, like something had died close by and festered. The stench permeated the air around them. 

She knew that something was wrong, very wrong though she didn’t know what. Her heart raced and a cold sheen of perspiration coated her skin. She was afraid. Fear clutched at her heart with its bony fingers, its icy chilly spreading through. She did not know whether she acted upon some primal instinct or whether a noise behind drove her, but she ran. She knew not where she ran to, only that she had to escape. Something or someone hunted her, she could feel their decaying breath on her neck. Dark shadows loomed behind her and a laugh that made her blood ran cold.

Branches snagged at her dress and she felt them tear at her face, whipping her with a short, sharp pain. Her lungs burnt within her chest, her heart bursting as her limbs felt heavy. It was as though she were running through treacle, hot and heavy. She heard someone calling her ahead, she knew that voice, as well as her own. Reaching her hand out to them as though it would make her get there quicker, her last sprint. Only it was too late. A sharp severe pain pierced her chest, penetrating her heart. The words she had wanted to call out never left her lips, just an exhalation of air. She felt like ice as the world turned to black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading.
> 
> This was a little sort, but the next one will be a lot longer.
> 
> feel free to find me on Twitter, I'm @TwistedMirror_


	3. Awakening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay in the update! Had some deadlines etc to work to, now I'm free again!
> 
> Rey visits the Museum while its closed to get some of her thesis done, things however don't go as planned.  
> Meanwhile the Prince makes a discovery.

Rey rubbed the sleep groggily from one eye as she used her free hand to open the door. Flashing her staff ID card, the familiar beep of the security door filled the silence, the light changing to green on the lock. The museum was always closed on a Sunday, one of the town’s more conservative traditions. The lights flickered on automatically as she made her way through the staff corridor. Her sneakers squeaking across the floor. The corridor smelt of disinfectant, having been attacked by the cleaners with their mops the day before. 

Getting the single key for the library door out of her bag, she turned it in the slightly stiff lock. The library and archives room were vast, full of never-ending shelves, boxes and files filling the space. She flicked on the neon strip lights, their cold light glaring down upon the room as she dumped her bag at the desk. The room always smelt dusty and a little bit damp, with a hint of Rey’s favourite smell, old books, a smell she had always found comforting. Those old copies of the classics she had treasured as a child, the only things that she had left of her parents. The feel of their worn covers, the rough paper under her fingertips and that slightly musty smell of the pages. 

She sank into the slightly battered computer chair, its cushions creaking in protest. She had not slept well, again, which worryingly, was becoming a constant feature in her day to day life. Her muscles instinctively tensed at the memory of her dream the previous night and her heart rate began to sky rocket. Her palms became clammy as the room seemed to spin around her. She held her head in her hands, taking deep, cleansing breaths, trying to let the wave of panic pass. She grew startled when a flash of warmth flooded her body, followed by a sense of calm and peace. The feelings of anxiety were chased away leaving Rey feeling exhausted and ashamed. They were just dreams, yet she let them get her worked up and upset like this, making her feel weak and pathetic. Yet, the panic attack had never ended like that before, she frowned in puzzlement. Maybe she had a Guardian Angel watching over her now? She laughed at her own explanation.

Getting up from her seated position, she held on to the back of a chair for support, her legs feeling shaky. Chiding herself, she switched the radio on, hoping that some music would help distract her. The news droned on in the background as she logged onto the computer to check her work email.

“…. Senator Palpatine in his Presidential Campaign has stated that the City’s safety, following the series of quakes recently, is his top most concern…”

She drowned out the words, yet found the drone sound soothing as she skimmed her account. 

“Coffee, I need coffee,” she mumbled to herself.

Pushing her chair away from her desk, she got up and headed to the staff room. As she walked through the empty, silent corridors, she wondered who was on security, for she hadn’t yet seen anyone. She usually took them a coffee while they worked, and if it was Finn, a pile of biscuits. She guessed that they were probably outside, patrolling. Rey knew that they had some problems with some of the younger members of society congregating outside and ‘getting up to no good’ at the rear of the museum. They were the bane of Finn’s life. 

As she stirred her steaming coffee mug, the rich, earthy aroma rising up to her nostrils, she heard a crash. She froze, her heart racing. It sounded like it had come from the Alderaanian exhibit. Quickly rushing from the room, she ran to the staff entrance on to the exhibit. 

“Finn? Rex?” she called out, trying to project a confidence that she didn’t feel. 

She walked slowly across the room, it’s silence amplifying her footsteps. Another noise caught her attention the far side of the hall.

“Hello?”

She was beginning to worry, if it had been one of the security team they would have answered her. She pulled off one of the display swords from the stand to her left, a lightweight delicate blade wrought with a golden hilt studded with a moonstone. It had always been her favourite which is why she had automatically reached for it. She had no idea how to use a sword, but any weapon was better than nothing. 

“Show yourself!” she called out, wishing her voice sounded a little more menacing. 

However, her vocal qualities became the least of her worries when she rounded the corner of a large display unit. Her mouth literally dropped open and her stomach plummeted to somewhere around her feet. The Prince’s statue was gone, vanished. 

“What the…?”

She stood there for what felt like an eternity, her mind not believing what her eyes were seeing. It could not be possible. The statue was the size of a large man and carved from marble, it’s not like somebody could just walk in and waltz off with it. 

“Shit, shit, shit.”

She clutched her hair with her fingers, pulling on it to reassure herself that she was not dreaming. She groaned, realising just how many phone calls she was going to have to make. 

Her shock was interrupted by a strange noise…it sounded like someone was in pain, or crying. Her heart thudding violently as she walked slowly around the plinth, freezing on the spot when she saw a pair of feet, large feet that were attached to a pair of very male, muscular, long legs. Well-muscled calves, thick toned thighs…she gasped as she realised that the man was naked, very naked. Her surprise and disbelief were momentarily disrupted when she realised that the man was shaking as though freezing, his shivering had been the sound that she had heard. Approaching slowly and cautiously she knelt down next to him and placed her hand upon his shoulder, shuddering at how icy cold his skin felt to her touch. The man’s head whipped up at her touch, his expression one of a trapped animal, frightened and alarmed. Rey pulled her hand back quickly, unsure as to what he would do. His dark, intense eyes fixed on her and a strange thing happened, all of the tension in his body melted away, his expression relaxed. That strange warmth and peace that had filled quietened Rey’s mind earlier surrounded her once more. 

“Kira,” he whispered, reaching his had out towards her face, his expression almost hopeful.

She scrambled backwards, holding her hands up.

“Whoa there mate, I think you’re a bit confused.”

The man’s face dropped, a frown forming across his brow. 

“What happened to you?” she asked unzipping her hoody. “Do you know where you are…who you are?”

She quickly threw her hoody over his waist, trying not to look at his very present manhood, he was obviously confused, possibly injured. He nodded, still shivering.

“We need to get you to a Doctor.”

He shook his head firmly, his hands clenching, knuckles white.

“No, no, they cannot help me.”

His voice sounded pained. Rey dropped back on to her heels with a sigh, this morning was not going the way she had thought it would in any way.

“Well, Doctor or not, you can’t stay here shivering in your birthday suit.” 

‘Even though it’s an impressive birthday suit,’ she couldn’t help but think.

“Can you try sitting up for me?” she asked gently, leaning towards him.

He nodded and begun to push himself upright, his arms still shaky. Rey scooted over to his side trying to support him, though he weighed a tonne. 

She looked away blushing when her hoody slid from his waist, her eyes immediately drawn to the area. 

“Sorry my Lady,” he mumbled, covering himself once more. 

‘My Lady? What is with this guy?’

That was when she let her gaze wander up to his face that had previously been partially obscured by his hair and the shadow of his arms. His face, with that soulful expression, aquiline nose, a scar cutting across his right side down into his chest.

“It can’t be,” she murmured. 

She leant forward on her knees, tentatively searching his face, a face that she knew so well. His eyes widened as he returned her gaze, his full lips parted in recognition and his breath hitched. 

“It is you,” he whispered, with a voice deep and low, rich like honey.

With those words his whole face transformed, lit from within by a smile of pure joy. His dark obsidian like eyes shifted from deep and sad to warm and bright.

−  
The Prince pushed his way through the undergrowth, moving branches out of his and Alastor’s way, using his sword Malachor to chop through the thicker of the foliage. He had climbed down from his steed, leading him by the reigns as he let himself be guided by the ethereal voice. As he stepped over tangled roots and branches, the singing around him grew louder, echoing soft and wistful. It’s tone and words were melancholic though he could not make them out, the voice bled a loneliness that echoed his own. His heart had found a voice, a way to express his pain that whispered to him across the fragrant breeze. 

The trees, pine, oak, silver and copper birch, began to thin out, making it easier for him to lead Alastor through. He reached a clearing when the singing stopped. If it were not for the small cottage ahead of him, he would have believed he had been dreaming. The picture before him was straight out of one of the stories his mother had told him when he was a boy, stories full of goblins, nymphs, witches and fairies. It was only as he grew that he realised that those tales were closer to life than he had believed, including his own powers. A small stream ran through the clearing, a silver, twinkling ribbon cutting behind the cottage, its water travelling over the pebbles in a soothing, melodic way. He paused at the tree line, watching and listening. Nothing, odd.

“Stay here boy,” he gestured, patting the black stallion’s thick, muscular neck reassuringly. 

He entered the clearing, surprised that someone lived all of the way out here, alone. Someone definitely lived here, the signs were everywhere. Flowers and blooms of every variety climbed up and around the cottage, roses, buddleia, honeysuckle and more, filling the air with a heady perfumed scent. Summer bees hummed happily as they collected the pollen therein, as butterflies rested upon the colourful blooms as their wings fluttered happily in the sunlight. Rows of beehives stood at the far end of the clearing, like small buzzing sentinels of the forest. Behind the cottage, across the stream, lay a neat, well-tended and thriving vegetable patch, its produce ripe and succulent. 

He looked around in wonderment for though it was humble indeed to his palace, this place had more magic, life and enchantment than anyone of the palace’s rooms. It was then that it hit him, his mind and soul felt at ease, peaceful, dark voices and whispers were silent. He could not remember a time in his life when this had happened and the quiet in his head almost overwhelmed him. He sank to his knees, his eyes wet from tears of relief when he felt the cold steel of a blade against his neck. Damn, he’d let his guard down. 

−

(the museum)

“Kira!” he held out his hand once more, a look of desperation in his eyes. “Please.”

She backed away.

“Please don’t touch me,” he was obviously very confused.

She saw the hurt and confusion rip through him, his eyes instantly dulling. He slowly dropped his arm back down, his shoulder slumping as his limbs still shivered, though the shivers had grown fainter. 

“Who are you?” she demanded.

“Kira, you know who I am,” his expression was pained and she thought she saw panic behind his eyes. 

“My name isn’t Kira; you’re confusing me with someone else.” She tried to remain patient and calm, but he was getting to her, though she could not explain why.

He tried one more time, though his voice had lost its firmness, becoming earnest and soft.

“Kira, please, it’s me.”

She frowned at his words, at that name that tugged annoyingly on the fringes of her mind. His eyes searched hers once more, still seeing no recognition there, he truly did not know him.

“My name is Rey!” she snapped. “I’ve told you; you’ve mistaken me for someone else.”

“Forgive me my Lady, I meant only…I truly thought you were her,” she felt herself grow warm as his gaze searched and studied her. “I see that I was wrong, please forgive me.”

Flustered and herself confused, she just nodded.

“You still have not told me who you are, and what has happened to the Prince’s statue!” she pointed up to the empty plinth. 

His eyes followed her pointing finger before settling back on to her face. He moved as though to get up, leaning forward on all fours, the hoody that had been covering his modesty fell away. He tried to stand, but he was weak, so weak, weaker than he could ever remember being before. Despite the fact that he was a large, strange naked man, she felt no threat from him, none at all, if anything she felt reassured by his presence, which was obviously crazy. Hating to seem him struggle, despite his naked state, she went to his side, one arm around his waist and one under his arm and helped him to his feet. He smelt intoxicating, all masculine heat and spice and something that reminded her of a forest following rainfall. She blocked It out as she huffed and puffed with the effort of lifting him, for he was even heavier than he looked. He stood shakily, holding the plinth with one hand for support, taking deep breaths as though to steady himself.

“Thank you.”

She quickly picked up her fallen hoody and handed it to him, averting her gaze though a big part of her wanted to look. 

He took the garment and held it so as to cover his modesty once more.

“Again apologies.”

For a naked, strange, potentially insane weirdo, he was extremely well mannered, and…. extremely well built. Now he stood she could take all of him in, and there was a lot to take in. From his broad, smooth chest and shoulders to the firm contours of his abs and waist, lines and contours that were so familiar to her.

‘It can’t be’

“I am Prince Benjamin the First of Alderaan,” he bowed formally, which considering his state of undress would have been amusing in other circumstances. 

She lifted her hand to her mouth; the missing statue, this strange yet familiar man…it just couldn’t be.

“You’re dead…you…died, hundreds of years ago, if you are who you say you are.”

His expression fell into shadow, a shadow haunted by acute pain and an aching loneliness. Rey instantly felt her heart ache in recognition of those feelings. 

“If only I had have died, it would have been infinitely more bearable.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading. 
> 
> Feel free to find me on Twitter at @TwistedMirror_ 
> 
> Ko-Fi page https://ko-fi.com/twisted_mirror_stories


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